Editor’s Note: This article has been updated to reflect the changes to parklet fees implemented this year.
JACKSON, Wyo. — Yesterday, Buckrail asked its readers what they thought of the decision to phase out the parklet program, which started in 2020 due to social distancing requirements, by summer 2027. Those parklets take up a total of 19 parking spaces downtown in the summer months.
By 8 a.m. today, nearly 100 readers responded, and the split was essentially even. About half of respondents support Town Council’s decision to remove them, while the other half would have preferred to keep them. Nearly everyone who responded had a lot to say.
For supporters of the decision, it came down to parking and fairness. Many said the restaurants got a COVID-era perk that outlasted the emergency.
“Parklets were a creative, generous response to Covid, and I’m grateful the Town acted quickly,” wrote Kristin Walker. “For me, this is about what serves downtown best now that the emergency is behind us. Those 19 spaces help locals, workers, and visitors reach all of our shops, galleries, and restaurants.”
Joe Rice, who owns the Blue Collar Restaurant Group, argued that parklet restaurants skip costs that other restaurants pay when they expand. He listed housing mitigation, sewer fees, parking fees-in-lieu and code upgrades.
“When we’ve added onto our restaurants, we had to pay all these fees which add up 100 of thousands of dollars or even millions,” Rice wrote. “The biggest issue is they’re using the most valuable land we have in Jackson to help a few restaurants and most of them aren’t even open during the day.”
Gabe Koerber, a candidate for Town Council, did the math on hours of use. “A restaurant open six days a week for five hours a night utilizes multiple spaces and pays a fee disproportionate to their value,” he wrote. “Zero hours of use per week to benefit a restaurant versus 168 hours per week at their intended purpose of being parking for locals and visitors.”
On the other side, readers kept returning to the 19 parking spots the parklets occupy. Many said that was too few to make a difference.
“Gaining back 19 parking spots does virtually nothing to address the parking shortage in Jackson,” wrote Ron Harris.
Mara Swain said she’d feel the same way regardless. “I’ve lived in Jackson Hole for over 25 years, and I’ve heard people say countless times, ‘Wouldn’t it be wonderful to have more outdoor dining downtown?’ Now that we finally have it, we’re taking it away.”
Maryellen Frank has lived here since 1980. “They make the Town of Jackson so much more inviting than what it used to be like,” she wrote. “Bad decision for our town character, really bad decision.”
Several readers framed it as people versus cars. “It’s bending the knee to lazy drivers when we have an empty parking garage two blocks away,” wrote Brian Baker.
Forest Wakefield drew on a bit of local history. “When we helped start the Farmers Market back in the day, the downtown merchants complained about losing parking. We argued that bringing locals downtown outweighed the temporary loss of parking. I feel the same way about parklets.”
A lot of respondents who wanted to keep the parklets argued that restaurants should be charged more. Several noted that the monthly fee per parking spot was adjusted, from a $3,500 flat fee per participating restaurant to $2,000 per parking space occupied this summer.
Ross MacIntyre called the decision a poor one. He added that the council seemed to reject a higher-fee compromise “without much consideration.”
Garf Miles calculated that at $2,000 per spot for four months, restaurants pay about $5.20 per square foot per month.
Others said parklets are a symptom of a bigger problem. “We need to have a larger conversation about parking downtown,” wrote Sadek Darwiche. “Let’s start with a clean slate and go from there.”
Brook Yeomans went further: “As far as the Town Square goes, why do we even let cars in there?… Never stop dreaming. Let’s go, Town. Time to think big.”
